Small caliber dual colored signal flare

ABSTRACT

A small caliber dual colored signal flare having a cartridge case holding a primer and a charge of expelling powder, and a projectile body partially extending into and attached to said cartridge case. The projectile body contains a first pyrotechnic composition which, upon burning, provides a green colored display and also a second pyrotechnic composition which, upon burning after said first composition is consumed, provides a red colored display. The projectile body is provided with an undercut so that after the first pyrotechnic composition is consumed the projectile body will sever in order to provide better illumination of the burning of said second pyrotechnic composition.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Orville L. Beckes Washington; John L. Brown, Bedlord; Benjamin F. Harkness, Odon, allot Ind. [2| Appl. No. 872,817 [22] Filed Oct. 31, 1969 [45] Patented Oct. 12, 1971 [73] Assignee The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy [54] SMALL CALIBER DUAL COLORED SIGNAL FLARE 6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

[52[ US. Cl l02/37.7, 102/32 [51] Int. Cl C06d 1/10 [50] Field of Search 102/32, 35, 35.2, 35.6, 37.6, 37.7, 37.8, 49.4, 87, 90, 65

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 630,477 8/1899 Behr 102/32 Primary Examiner-Robert F. Stahl Attorneys-R. S. Sciascia, H l-I. Losche and Paul S. Collignon ABSTRACT: A small caliber dual colored signal flare having a cartridge case holding a primer and a charge of expelling powder, and a projectile body partially extending into and attached to said cartridge case. The projectile body contains a first pyrotechnic composition which, upon burning, provides a green colored display and also a second pyrotechnic composition which, upon burning after said first composition is consumed, provides a red colored display. The projectile body is provided with an undercut so that after the first pyrotechnic composition is consumed the projectile body will sever in order to provide better illumination of the burning of said second pyrotechnic composition.

PATENIEDBBHZIQYI 3.611935 FIG.

/N 1 5 N TOPS ORV/LLE L. BEG/(E5 JOHN L. BROWN BENJAMIN E HARKNESS By/rl/ @wL web- ATTORNEYS SMALL CALIBER DUAL COLORED SIGNAL FLARE STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Presently, the military departments are providing certain personnel with a small caliber flare which can be fired from a hand-held weapon, such as a .38 caliber pistol. In particular, such a flare might be fired by a person in distress, such as a downed aircraft pilot. I-Ieretofore the flares that have been used provided only a single colored display, which was usually red. This type of small flare has a disadvantage, however, as it is often mistakenly believed to be a tracer round from an enemy gun and tends to drive-off a would-be rescuer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a small caliber signal flare which is designed to be fired from a hand-held weapon, such as a .38 caliber pistol. A cartridge case is provided which contains a primer and a quantity of expelling powder, and projectile body partially extends into the cartridge case. The projectile body is provided with a cavity and a forward hemispherical nose. Within the cavity there is a first pyrotechnic composition containing a barium compound and a second pyrotechnic composition containing a strontium compound. The pyrotechnic composition containing the barium compound is ignited first and a green colored display is produced. The pyrotechnic composition containing the strontium compound is ignited second and a red colored display is produced.

An ignition composition is provided adjacent the first composition and this ignition composition is ignited by the burning of the expelling powder. This ignition composition ignites the first pyrotechnic composition which provides a green colored display. The first pyrotechnic composition, in turn, ignites the second pyrotechnic composition. An undercut, or reduced wall thickness section, is provided in the projectile body adjacent the innermost end of the first pyrotechnic composition and the projectile body is separated at this section to enhance visibility of the red colored display.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an end view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing, there is shown a cartridge case 11 which is sized to fit a standard hand-held weapon, such as a .38 caliber pistol. A primer 12 and a quantity of expelling powder 13, are contained in a closed end of cartridge case 11 and the opposite end of cartridge case 11 is open. By way of example, expelling powder 13 might be comprised, by weight, of about 44.85 percent of nitrocellulose, about 13.25 percent of nitrogen in nitrocellulose, about 0.40 percent of graphite, about 39.00 percent of nitroglycerine, about 1.00 percent of ethyl centralite and about 1.50 percent of potassium sulfate.

A projectile body 14, having a hemispherical nose section 15, has a portion of its length extending into cartridge case 11, and projectile body is provided with a tapered surface 16 and open end of cartridge case 11 is crimped against this tapered surface 16 to secure projectile body 14 to cartridge case 11. A quantity of pyrotechnic composition 17 is provided in projectile body 14, which upon burning, gives a colored display. By way of example, pyrotechnic composition 17 might be comprised, by weight, of about 37.75 percent of strontium nitrate, about 24.50 percent of powdered magnesium, about 21.85 percent of potassium perchlorate, about 9.94 percent of polyvinyl chloride, and about 5.96 percent of a polyester resin binder, such as Laminac 41 10, a produce produced and marketed by American Cyanamid Co. This composition, when burned, provides a red colored display.

Another pyrotechnic composition 18 is provided in projectile body 14 adjacent composition 17. By way of example, composition 18, when burned, will provide a green colored display and be comprised, by weight, of about 31.82 percent of barium nitrate, about 30.90 percent of powdered magnesium, about 4.55 percent of powdered copper, about 18.18 percent of potassium perchlorate, about 9.10 percent of perchloropentacyclodecane, and about 5.45 percent of a polyester resin binder, such as Laminac 4110. Ignition composition 19 is provided adjacent the outer end of pyrotechnic composition 19. Ignition composition 19 is ignited by the burning of powder 13 and, in turn, ignites composition 18. By way of example, ignition composition 19 might be comprised, by weight, of about 41.66 percent of lead oxide, about 23.44 percent of silicon, about 11.46 percent of manganese and about 23.44 percent of a suitable binder solution. A retaining washer 21 is positioned adjacent ignition composition 19 and the inner end of projectile body 14 is crimped, or spun over, to retain the pyrotechnic compositions within body 14.

As best shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing, projectile body 14 is provided with an undercut 22, or reduced diameter portion, which is positioned near the inner end of pyrotechnic composition 18. When the burning of composition 18 reaches undercut 22, this reduced wall section burns away and the trailing edge of projectile body 14 breaks away to provide better visibility of the display produced by the burning of pyrotechnic composition 17.

In operation, assuming the signal flare is to fit and be fired by a hand-held weapon, such as a .38 caliber pistol, upon triggering the weapon, the firing pin will strike and explode primer 12 which will ignite powder 13. The exploding of powder 13 will, in turn, ignite ignition composition 19 and the explosion force from powder 13 will eject and propel projectile body 14. Ignition composition 19 will ignite pyrotechnic composition 18 causing a green colored display to be produced from the rear of projectile body 14. When pyrotechnic composition 18 is nearly consumed, the burning will be taking place opposite undercut 22 causing this thinwalled section to burn through and sever the projectile body 14. Pyrotechnic composition 17 will be ignited from the burning of composition 18 and will produce a red colored display. As the rear portion of projectile body 14 will drop away, this portion of body 14 will not be present to act as a shield, and better visibility of the red colored display will be provided. About 1.5 grams each of pyrotechnic composition 17 and 18 will produce about a 3 second green colored display followed by about a 3 second red colored display.

We claim:

1. A small caliber dual colored signal flare comprising:

a cartridge case having a closed end and an open end,

a primer and a charge of expelling powder within said cartridge case adjacent said closed end,

a single projectile body having a closed end and an opened end with said opened end extending inwardly into said cartridge case,

a first pyrotechnic composition in said projectile body for producing a first tracer color,

a second pyrotechnic composition in said projectile body for producing a second tracer color, and

an undercut in said single projectile body for severing said projectile body by the burning of said first pyrotechnic composition thereby enhancing the visibility of the burning of said second pyrotechnic composition.

2. A small caliber dual colored signal flare as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first pyrotechnic composition contains barium nitrate and upon burning of said first pyrotechnic composition a green colored display is provided.

3. A small caliber dual colored signal flare as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second pyrotechnic composition contains strontium nitrate and upon burning of said second pyrotechnic composition a red colored display is provided.

4. A small caliber dual colored signal flare as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first pyrotechnic composition contains barium nitrate and said second pyrotechnic composition contains strontium nitrate and upon ignition of said signal flare a green colored display is first produced followed by a red colored display.

5. A small caliber dual colored signal flare as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first pyrotechnic composition is comprised, by weight, of about 31.82 percent of barium nitrate, about 30.90 percent of powdered magnesium, about 4.55 percent of powdered copper, about 18.18 percent of potassium perchlorate, about 9.10 percent of perchloropentacyclodecane, and about 5.45 percent of a polyester resin binder.

6. A small caliber dual colored signal flare as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second pyrotechnic composition is comprised, by weight, of about 37.75 percent of strontium nitrate, about 24.50 percent of powdered magnesium, about 21.85 percent of potassium perchlorate, about 9.94 percent of polyvinyl chloride, and about 5.96 percent of a polyester resin binder. 

1. A small caliber dual colored signal flare comprising: a cartridge case having a closed end and an open end, a primer and a charge of expelling powder within said cartridge case adjacent said closed end, a single projectile body having a closed end and an opened end with said opened end extending inwardly into said cartridge case, a first pyrotechnic composition in said projectile body for producing a first tracer color, a second pyrotechnic composition in said projectile body for producing a second tracer color, and an undercut in said single projectile body for severing said projectile body by the burning of said first pyrotechnic composition thereby enhancing the visibility of the burning of said second pyrotechnic composition.
 2. A small caliber dual colored signal flare as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first pyrotechnic composition contains barium nitrate and upon burning of said first pyrotechnic composition a green colored display is provided.
 3. A small caliber dual colored signal flare as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second pyrotechnic composition contains strontium nitrate and upon burning of said second pyrotechnic composition a red colored display is provided.
 4. A small caliber dual colored signal flare as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first pyrotechnic composition contains barium nitrate and said second pyrotechnic composition contains strontium nitrate and upon ignition of said signal flare a green colored display is first produced followed by a red colored display.
 5. A small caliber dual colored signal flare as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first pyrotechnic composition is comprised, by weight, of about 31.82 percent of barium nitrate, about 30.90 percent of powdered magnesium, about 4.55 percent of powdered copper, about 18.18 percent of potassium perchlorate, about 9.10 percent of perchloropentacyclodecane, and about 5.45 percent of a polyester resin binder.
 6. A small caliber dual colored signal flare as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second pyrotechnic composition is comprised, by weight, of about 37.75 percent of strontium nitrate, about 24.50 percent of powdered magnesium, about 21.85 percent of potassium perchlorate, about 9.94 percent of polyvinyl chloride, and about 5.96 percent of a polyester resin binder. 